Matthews led Dallas with 25 points and J.J. Barea scored 18 points off the bench. In falling to the Rockets for the second time in three days, the Mavericks fell to 0-3 for the first time since 2011-12, the lockout-shortened season following their title.

"We gave ourselves a chance, and it comes down to the one play and the whistle," Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said. "We're up against it right now in a lot of ways, but no one's backing down. We've just got to find a way."

Dallas was without Dirk Nowitzki (illness, sore Achilles tendon) for a second straight game. Nowitzki participated in pregame warmups but was a late scratch.